CJI refuses to give his photograph for government advertisement

New Delhi: Shunning personal publicity, Chief Justice of India (CJI) P Sathasivam refused permission to publish his photograph in a government advertisement for a function related to the Supreme Court.

The documents received from the Supreme Court under the RTI Act show that a request was sent to him for his photograph to be published by DAVP on the release of India's first customised PIN code to the Apex Court by the postal department.

It was proposed to publish two separate advertisements at a cost of Rs 12 lakh on the occasion.

The documents received by activist Subhash Agrawal show that Postmaster General Rajinder Kashyap wrote to Registrar Administration and Protocol M A Sayeed on September 24 last year seeking permission to use the photograph of the Chief Justice of India who was the Chief Guest at the function.

"It is proposed to bring out advertisement in the newspapers on September 26, 2013. Your kind permission is solicited to use the photograph of Justice P Sathasivam, honourable Chief Justice of India, in the proposed advertisement. A passport size photograph permitted to be use for the purpose may also be provided through email...," Kashyap wrote.

This proposal was turned down as file notings mentioned that office of the Chief Justice of India refused permission to publish his photograph in the advertisement.

"Due to non-permission from the CJI, the photograph of Chief Justice of India could not be published on September 26, 2013 advertisement," the notings given under the RTI Act show.